Carton opening device



P. F. BOWMAN CARTON OPENING DEVICE Sept. 23, 1958 T Sheets$h'eet 1 INVENTOR PAUL F. BOWMAN H ORNEYS I {Ma m mm mm Filed April 20, 1955 P. F. BOWMAN CARTON OPENING DEVICE Sept. 23, 1953 Filed April 20. 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 N MA TM w.

Cu L U M H/5 ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 P. F. BOWMAN CARTON OPENING DEVICE 7 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed April 20, 1955 INVENTOR. PAUL F. BOWMAN 14/5 ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 P. F. BOWMAN 2,85 8

CARTON OPENING DEVICE PAU L F BOW MAN H/S ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 P. F. BOWMAN 2,852,988

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed April 20, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.. PAUL F. BOWMAN I ,m uhhmw 75/ 54 Hts ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 P. F. BOWMAN 2,852,938

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed April 20, 1955 4 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 s5 E L- -74 E I no I I H 6 5b INVENTOR.

PAUL F. BOWMAN BY M] I FIG. l5 M,omq 72 44 H15 ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 P. F. BOWMAN CARTON OPENING DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 20. 1955 INVENTOR.

PAUL F. BOWMAN Hrs ATTORNEYS FIG. l6

United States Patent Qfifice' 2,852,988 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 CARTON OPENIN G DEVICE Paul F. Bowman, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to Continental Paper Company, Ridgefield Park, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationApril 20, 1955, Serial No. 502,629

2 Claims. (Cl. 93-51) This invention relates .to machines for setting-up cartons from appropriately prepared paper board blanks. Cartons of the type in question are in common use for packaging fruit such as tomatoes and the like, and are generally known as tomato trays. They are provided with an open top so that the filled tray can be subsequently wrapped with a .transparent material which will leave the contents of the tray exposed to view. However, such cartons require adhesive to hold them in set-up condition. The invention relates more particular- 1y to an automatic machine for setting-up a particular construction of carton or tomato tray that does not re- .quire the use of adhesive to maintain it in set-up condition. The special construction of this tray will be presently set forth.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for setting-up tomato trays of the special construction referred to, and which is capable of operating at an exceptionally. high rate of speed, and which, furthermore, will operate at its rated out-put for exceptionally long periods without shut-down because of the blanks, or partially set-up cartons, becoming jammed in the mechanism, or for other reasons.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the invention is described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the carton blank ready to be folded and set-up by the machine of the invention;

Figs. 2-5 are diagrammatic perspective or projectional views illustrating the operations performed by the machine, the mechanism for operating on substantially one half of the carton blank being illustrated;

'Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a carton showing one end in partially folded condition;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing one end completely set-up;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the machine with parts broken away and shown in section taken on broken line 8-8 of Fig. 15;

Figs. 9,- and 11 are views of the folding mechanism taken on line 99 of Fig. 15, and Figs. 10 and 11 showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken on line 1212 of Fig. 8 to show the operating portions of the crimping, or over-bending devices;

Figs. 13 and 14 are similar views showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 15 is a view of the machine as a whole shown in vertical section taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 16, with parts at the upper center and left broken away and shown in section at the central vertical plane, the front of the machine being at the left;

Fig. 15a is a detail section taken on the line 1541-1511 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 15b is a view partly in section taken on line 15b15b of Fig. 15; and

Referring now to these drawings, and first to Fig. l

the special construction of carton for which the present machine has been devised, is set-up from the paper board blank herein illustrated. The blank 20 is made of paper board of suitable thickness and is generally, or substantially, rectangular in shape and provided with a pair of longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22 which. are positioned inwardly and parallel with the respective sides of the blank. Transverse fold lines 23 and 24 extend crosswise of the blank at a substantial distance inboard from the respective opposite ends of the blank.

The portion between these four lines is designed A and forms the bottom of the carton. The portion outside of line 21 and between lines 28 and 29 is designated B, and the similar portion on the opposite side of the blank C. When folded, portions (2 and B form the sides of the box. D and E indicate the .end portions of the carton side walls at the right end of the blank, and F and G indicate these end portions at the left end. D and F are extensions of the side wall B, and E and G are extensions of the side wall C.

Approximately mid-way between the left end of the blank and transverse fold line 23 there is a second and parallel transverse fold line 25. A corresponding fold line 26 is provided at the opposite or right hand end of the blank.

In addition, the blank has a .fold line 27 extending diagonally outwardly from each of the four intersections of the transverse fold lines 23 and 24 and the longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22. ,Also, the body of the blank is provided with a transverse cut line 28 intermediate the ends of transverse fold line 23, and a cut line 29 is similarly located with respect to transverse fold line 24. Advantageously, these out lines are closely adjacent the central portions of the respective fold lines 23 and 24. Further, each end of the blank is provided with at least one outwardly projecting tongue portion, three being shown, and the central tongues 30 and 31 being about twice the width of the two corner projections 32, 33, 34 and 35.

The setting-up machine of the present invention comprises a pair of main guide walls or members 36 and 37 which are vertically positioned, substantially parallel with one another and spaced apart according to the width of the set-up carton or tomato tray. Such tray is indicated generally by reference numeral 38 in Fig. 7 which shows the right hand portion in completely set-up condition. The upper portions 39 and 40 of guides 36 and 37 converge toward one another in a downward direc tion.

A supply of the carton blanks 20 is held in asuitable magazine in the form of a stack 41, the central portion of which rests on a support consisting of a central plate 42. The magazine comprises two vertical angle bars 47 (Fig. 15) which engage the front corners of the stack, and an inverted U-shaped post 48 located centrally at the rear of the stack. The ends of the stack rest upon supports 42a (Figs. 2 and 8) which are fixed to the machine frame at an elevation somewhat lower than that of plate 42 so as to support the blanks in slightly arched condition which is their natural shape.

The bottom of stack 41 is at a level slightly above the upper edge of the sloping upper guide portion 39 which has a rearwardly extending horizontal lip 43. The surface of lip 43 centrally is below the upper surface of plate 42so as to leave a sharp shoulder 42b along the front edge of the plate for a purpose which will hereafter appear. The surface of lip 43., however, at its opposite ends is at the same level as supports 42a, so that the end portions of lip 43 are each curved downwardly as shown in Fig. 8.

A pair of feed fingers 44 are mounted on a reciprocating carriage, to be described, which supports these fingers adjacent the opposite sides of central supporting plate 42 (Fig. 8). These fingers engage the rear of the bottom blank 20 and feed the blank to the right as shown in Fig. 2, and for this purpose the fingers are each provided with an upstanding shoulder 45 and with a downwardly and upwardly sloping surface 45a in front of such shoulder (Figs. 2 and It was mentioned above that the end supporting guides 42a are somewhat below the level of the center stack-supporting plate 42., Plate 42 supports the main weight of the stack of blanks 41, and since this plate is limited in width (Fig. 8) it allows the ends of the lowermost blank to droop until they rest on the supporting guides 42a. In this manner, theend portions of the lowermost blank are caused to free themselves from the blank above and are thus made ready to be advanced by the feed fingers 44. The elevation of feed fingers 44 with respect to the lowermost blank 20 is such that when the fingers advance towards the rear edge of the bottom blank from their extreme rearward position as shown in Fig. 15, the sloping surfaces 45a slightly raise the bottom blank (Fig. 8) thereby insuring the engagement of the shoulders 45 with the rear edge of the blank.

The supporting plate 42 is relieved-centrally as shown, for example, in Fig. 2 for a distance less than the width of the blanks so that the stack 41 is supported only along its opposite longitudinal edges on the raised portions or risers 55. Thus, immediately after the shoulders 45 on feed fingers 44 commence to push forward the lowermost blank 20, its rear edge drops off of the edge of the rear riser 55 so that the rear portion of the blank is now supported on the two feed fingers. These push the blank to the right as shown in Fig. 2 over the surface of lip 43 and beneath a pair of shoes 46 fixed on a horizontal bar 46a forming a part of the machine frame.

The case blank 20 is advanced until its opposite or forward horizontal edge is stopped by means of a ledge 49 which extends along the top edge of the sloping upper portion 40 of the front main guide Wall 37 (Fig. 2). A tendency for the blank to adhere to the feed fingers 44 and be drawn out of such position as the feed fingers recede, has been overcome by providing a single centrally mounted finger 46b (Figs. 2 and 15), the forward end of which is curved downwardly. As the case blank is advanced by the pusher fingers 44 the central portion thereof, and particularly the rear margin of the central portion of the blank is deformed downwardly so that, as the rear edge of the blank passes beyond the left hand corner of plate 42 (Fig. 15), this edge springs downwardly below the edge of the feed plate 42 and locks the blank in the correct position as shown in Fig. 2. Then the receding movement of fingers 44 cannot carry the blank backward.

With the blank in the position of Fig. 2, a vertically reciprocating plunger 50, which is mounted on the lower end of a supporting rod 51, on its downward movement, engages the central portion A or blank 20 and pushes it downwardly between the guide members 36 and 37.

As the blanks are fed laterally from beneath stack 41, they are guided at their ends by end walls 47a which are substantially vertically below the lower ends of the magazine angle guides 47. These end walls 470! extend from beneath the magazine forwardly over the sloping upper portions 39 and 40 of main guide walls 36 and 37, and

engage the opposite ends of the blank 20 to keep it centered beneath plunger 50.

At a substantial distance inboard from each end of the downwardly converging portions 39 and 40 of the main guide walls 36 and 37, each of these portions is provided with an auxiliary guiding device 52 (Figs. 3 and 8). Each of these devices'projects inwardly towards the opposite main guide wall, and each advantageously consists of a narrow elongated member having a gently downwardly curving outer surface to engage the end portions of the side walls B and C of the carton blank in the general vicinity of the diagonally outwardly extending fold lines 27.

The converging portions 39 and of the main guide walls cause the side portions B and C of the blank to be folded upwardly as the blank is'moved downwardly by the plunger. The purpose of the auxiliary guiding devices 52 is to start the upward folding of side wall end portions D, E, F and G along the longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22. This end folding is initiated by the contact of the end side wall portions D, E, F and G with the auxiliary guiding devices 52 by causing the portions D, E, F and G to fold along the diagonally outwardly extending lines 27. By thus foldingportions D, E, F and G a web portion 53 is formed adjacent each of the diagonally outwardly extending lines 27 which interconnects the ends of the partially folded carton side walls B and C with the partially folded end portions of these side walls (Fig. 3). The purpose of forming these web portions will presently appear.

As plunger proceeds downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, the carton blank is forced between the parallel portions 36 and 37 of the main guide walls. This causes the carton side wall portions B and C to be folded to upright position, and it also causes the end portions of the blank to engage stationary striker plates 54 which bend the end portions (as a whole) upwardly about their respective transverse fold lines 23 and 24. The mid-folding movement of one of these end portions is shown in Fig. 4. Striker plates 54 ale'fixed members secured to the main guide members and extending horizontally between their sloping or downwardly converging portions 39 and 40.

The contact of the end side wall portions D, E, F and G with the auxiliary guiding devices 52, previously mentioned, occurs slightly ahead of the upward folding of the central side wall portions B and C by the clownwardly converging guide wall'portions 39 and 40. This is for the purpose of turning the end side wall portions D and F out of the plane 'of side wall portion B, and the corresponding end portions E and G out of the plane of the side wall portion C (Fig. 3'). The vertically elongated shape of auxiliary guiding devices 52 permits this to take place gradually during the downward movement of the blank. In as much as the respective end portions D, E, F and G are connected with their corresponding side wall portions by the angularly'disposed webs 53, when the respective end portions (as a whole) engage the striker plates 54 and are thereby folded upwardly about the respective transverse fold lines '28 and 29, the end side wall portions D, E, F and G will be folded along their respective longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22 towards the central sections of the respective end portions, and in Fig. 4 such folding movement of the end side wall section D is illustrated. The presence of the elongated auxiliary guiding devices 52 prevents the pressure of the end portions against'striker plates 54 from forcing the end side wall portions D, E, F and G outwardlyand compels them to fold inwardly.

When the upward folding movement of the carton blank end portions (as a whole) is completed, which is about to be described, the end side wall sections D, E, F and G will be folded flat against the central sections of of the carton end portions as shown in Fig. 6.

The elevation of the striker plates 54 is near the lower portions of the sloping surfaces 39 and 40 of the main guide walls, and approximately centrally of the auxiliary guides 52 (Figs. 5 and 8). Hence, the upward folding of the carton blank end portions referred to above commences very shortly after the engagement of the side wall end portions D, E, F and G with the auxiliary guide members 52, Y i l The completion of the folding of the ends of the carton blank is accomplished in part by the final downward movement of plunger 50, and in part by the end folding mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 8-11. Mounted for free rocking movement on a pair of parallel shafts 56 and 57 which are disposed below and at the opposite sides of the main guide walls 36 and 37 (Fig. 8), are two similar but oppositely arranged end guide frames 58 and 59. Since the various parts mounted on these guide frames are identical, the same reference numerals will be used for both. Only the end guide mechanism at the right will be described in detail and it will be understood that the mechanism 59 at the left end is similar in all respects except that it operates on the left hand end of the carton instead of on the right.

At the opposite sides of the end guide frame 538 are a pair of side guide members 66 and 61 which are appropriately spaced apart to support and guide the extreme end side margins of the carton. Extending horizontally between these guides 69, 61 there is a cross bar or rest 62 (Fig. 4).

The end guide frames 58 and 59 have two operative angular positions to be referred to as the outer and inner positions illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Frame 53 is shown in Fig. 3 in the same position as Fig. 9. In this outer position the frame is swung outward about 5 from the vertical which moves the corner of cross bar 62 outwardly somewhat from the transverse fold line 24. Then, while in this position, plunger 50 moves the carton downward from the position of Fig. 4, whereupon the carton end portion (as a whole) engages the top of cross bar 62, which forms a rest to restrain the down ward movement of the carton end portion, and the continued downward movement of plunger 56 causes this cross bar to continue the upward fold of the end portion which was started by its engagement with striker plate 54. Since the end portion contacts cross bar 62 at a point beyond the hinge line 24 (because frame 58 has pivoted outwardly some 5), any tendency for bar 6'2; to shear off the end portion is removed. During the final down movement of the plunger the carton end portion is swung back to the vertical as shown in Fig. 6. At the same time the upstanding end portions 77 of plunger 50 shape up the carton ends.

When the plunger reaches the bottom of its stroke the bottom A of the carton rests on the marginal edges of two laterally shiftable plates 63 which extend lengthwise of the carton substantially throughout its length (Fig. 8). Associated with the respective plates 63 are two rods 65 .(Fig. 3), and each pair (rod and plate) constitutes a crimping, or overbending device, to be described presently.

Plates 63 support the carton during the final folding of the carton end portions, so that the plunger can return to the top of its stroke to receive a succeeding carton. As the plunger completes its down stroke, the top edges of the carton side sections B and C spring outwardly underneath the bottom edges of the main guide walls 36 and 57. This prevents upward movement of the carton due to any tendency for it to adhere to the plunger as it starts its upward stroke. Strips 67 are provided along the lower edges of the main guide walls to limit the outward movement of the carton side portions.

To complete the folding of the carton end portions, the outer halves of the end portions are to be folded along their respective transverse fold lines 25 and 26, and against the lower halves of the end portions, as shown in Fig. 7, tongues 3ti-323 t and 3l3335 being tucked into the cut line 12.9 at the right hand end, and the cut line 23 at the left hand end, in order to hold the parts in this position and maintain the carton in set-up condition.

To accomplish this a carton end wall folder 68 is provided on each of the end guide frames 58 and 59. Folder 68 consists of a substantially flat plate pivoted at the top of the end guide frame on twin pivots 69, one at each side. With the carton resting on the edges of plates 63, and after plunger 50 has returned upward to receive a succeeding carton blank, the end guide frames 58 and 59 swing inwardly 10 about their respective shafts 56 and 57, to their inner positions. Immediately following this 10 movement, the end wall folders 68 turn from their up positions (Figs. 4 and 9) about their pivots to their down or vertical positions as shown in Figs. 5 and 11.

The frame members 58 are held in this position while the end wall folders 68 fold the upper portions of the carton end walls about fold lines 25 and 26 to their final positions, and this insures that the tongues 3032 34 and 31-3335 will be inserted and locked in the respective cut lines 28 and 29. To facilitate this the inner edges of folders 63 may be provided with tapered lugs 7b which act upon the tongues to tuck them into the cut lines.

As soon as the end wall folders 68 reach their down positions (Figs. 5 and 11) they reverse and swing back about their pivots to their up positions, and the end guide frames 58 and 59 swing back 10 to their original outer positions (Figs. 4- and 9). The particular mechanism for actuating these members will be described later on.

The last operation on the folded box is to crimp or overbend the side walls B and C so that when the box is discharged the fold or hinge lines 21 and 22 of these side walls will have been conditioned to cause the sides to stand substantially upright. This operation is performed by the simultaneous inward movement of the two pairs of crimpers (bus 65 and plates 63) from the positions shown in Fig. 12 to those shown in Fig. 13, followed quickly by a reverse or outward movement to the positions shown in Fig. 14, whereupon the completed carton is released and allowed to drop by gravity, or be pushed by the succeeding box, onto a conveyer belt (not shown). This belt moves beneath the upper forward portion of the machine (Fig. 15).

The action of the crimping mechanism causes overbending, pinching or crimping of the side wall portions B and C as may be seen from Figs. 12 and 13. The bars 65 and plates 63 acting upon the opposite sides of the carton are alike. Bar 65 is yieldably mounted on the upper surface of plate 63 so that if, for any reason, the crimping pressure becomes too great, the bar 65 may rise somewhat and relieve the pressure. This yielding connection is provided by mounting bars 65 along the edges of metal strips 71, for example, by welding the outer edges of these strips against a ridge or shoulder 72 formed in any suitable manner on the outer edges of plates 63.

So far there is no fastening between members 65 and 71 and plates 63. The fastening consists of headed rods 73 which pass loosely through apertures in plates 71 and 63 and aligned apertures in supporting carriages 74 (Fig. 8), the lower ends of rods 73 having coil springs 75 thereupon held in place by pin and washer connections 76. Plates 63 are fixed in any suitable manner, as by welding, to carriages 74.

For convenience, the cycle of operation may be considered to commence with plunger 50 at the bottom of its stroke (Fig. 6), and crimping bars or rods 65 and plates 63 in their mid-position (Fig. 12), with the plates supporting the bottom of a box and rods 65 in contact with the sides. A box is completely formed but not locked, that is, the end wall folders 68 having not yet rotated to hold the carton upper end portions and lock the tongues 30-32-34 and 31--3335 in the cut lines 28 and 29.

On the upstroke of the plunger, the carton end wall folders 68 rotate to their inner positions (Fig. 5 preceded by the 10 inward swing of their supporting end guide frames 53 and 59. The timing is such that the plunger just clears the ends of folders 68 as they swing inwardly. The locking of the tongues in the cut lines 28 and 29' occurs during the latter part of the plunger up stroke.

Next, plunger 50 reaches the top of its stroke above the level of feed plate '42, and feed fingers 44 feed a new or successive carton or box blank forward beneath the plunger into the position shown in Fig. 2. With the new blank in position over the guide walls, the plunger starts a new downstroke.

Following the immediate backward, or return, swinging movement of folders 63, and as soon during such movement as the folders clear them, crimping rods 65 and plates 63 move inwardly simultaneously to crimping position (Fig. 13), and return immediately to their outermost positions (Fig. 14) and release the completely folded or formed and locked box or carton. The box drops, or is pushed down by a new or succeeding box, out of the machine and onto a suitable receiver such, for example, as the conveyer belt, previously mentioned. This all occurs on the mid-down movement of the plunger 50 as it pushes the succeeding carton blank from the position of Fig. 2 through the side folding position of Fig. 3 andto the beginning of the end folding position of Figs. 3 and 4.

Between the mid-position of the plunger 50 and the bottom of its stroke, the end guide .frames 58 and 59 swing from their inner positions outwardly to their outer positions so as to allow the carton end portions to strike the cross bars 62 at points disposed outwardly from the hinge or score lines 23 and 24, thus avoiding any tendency for these cross bars to shear off the end portions.

During the early part of the second upstroke of plunger 50, the end guide frames 58 and 59 swing back in from their outer positions to their inner positions. Then, as the plunger continues upward, the end folders 68 swing or rotate to accomplish the locking. The forming of the new or second box is now completed, the locking occurring just as a third carton blank is fed into position beneath the plunger, which has for the second time reached the top of its stroke.

Various mechanism can be used to operate and coordinate the movements of the parts previously described, such as the plunger 50, the feed fingers 44, the end guide frames 58 and 59 with their pivoted carton end wall folders 68, and the crimping devices 65, 63. A desirable and particularly effective arrangement of these parts, and of mechanism for actuating themis illustrated in Figs. and 16. Referring to these figures, the apparatus has an upright frame 78 made up of sheet metal and structural steel shapes. The main portion is substantially square in horizontal cross section and is provided with an overhanging front portion indicated generally by numeral 79 at the upper left as shown in Fig. 15.

The mechanism is illustrated in considerable detail in the drawings, and it is believed that its manner of operation can be understood by an inspection of them with very little description. Hence, the following description is made as brief as possible:

The machine is driven by any convenient means such, for example, as an electric motor (not shown) mounted in the base of the apparatus and belted to a cross shaft 80 which, in turn, is chain-connected to a crank shaft 81, on the opposite ends of which are cranks 82 and S3. Crank 82 drives the plunger rod 51 through a rock shaft 84 and the interconnecting linkage and rock shafts shown. Crank 83 drives a second rock shaft 85 through a connecting rod 86 which serves to actuate the end guide frames 58 and 59 and their associated parts, as will be presently described. All connecting rods have ball joint end bearings to obviate alignment problems.

Another cross shaft 87 is chain driven from crank shaft 81, and cams on this shaft actuate the two crimping devices 65, 63. Still another cross shaft 88 is chain driven from shaft 87 and has a crank 89 fixed at its left hand end (Fig. 16) which, through a connecting rod 90 actuates a feed carriage 91, on the opposite sides of which the feed fingers 44 are mounted. This carriage is roller mounted on a fixed horizontal bar or plate 92 which is provided with shallow grooves along its opposite side edges to receive the rollers.

Plunger 50 is mounted somewhat similarly to carriage 91 except that the grooves are in the opposite vertical edges of the plunger and the supporting rollers 93 are mounted on stationary pivots which are fixed to the machine frame (Fig. 15).

As Was mentioned previously, the two and guide frames 58 and 59 are mounted to turn freely on their supporting shafts and 57. They are biased toward their inner positions (Figs. 8 and 11) by means of a long coil tension spring 94, the opposite ends of which are connected to outwardly and upwardly extending arms 95, which form parts of the respective end guide frames 58 and 59.

The end guide frames 58 and 5? are held in their inner positions by spring 94 and by means of one way stops each consisting of a short length of flexible chain 96 (Fig. 11), one end of which is connected to one of the arms 95 and the opposite end of which is connected to a fixed part 7 of the machine frame. When the end guide members are in their inner positions the stop chains 96 are stretched taut.

The end frame members 58 and 59 are actuated by the rock shafts 56 and 57 in a manner to be presently described. These two shafts are rocked simultaneously in opposite directions by means of a reciprocating rack bar 98 (Fig. 16). This has teeth on its upper side engaging a gear 99 on shaft 56, and teeth on its lower side engaging a gear 100 on shaft 57. These sets of teeth are held in mesh with one another by means of rollers 101. Rack bar 93 is reciprocated by a link 102, the left hand of which is connected to an arm 103 fixed to rock shaft 85, which as previously described, is actuated by crank 83.

The details of the actuation of end guide frames 58 and 59 and the carton end wall folders 68 are shown in Figs. 91 1, keeping in view that these sections are taken on the plane indicated by line 9-9 in Fig. 15 and looking from the rear toward the front of the machine. Referring to the end guide frame 59, an arm 104 is keyed to shaft 57 adjacent the inner side of this guide frame. At the outer end of arm 104 there is pivoted at 105 an arcuate rack member 106 having teeth along its inner, concave edge. These teeth engage the teeth of a pinion 107 which is keyed to a short shaft 108 that forms the inner of the two twin pivots 69 (Fig. 5), and to which the carton end wall folder 68 is fixed.

In the positions of the parts shown in Fig. 9 the rock shaft 57, arm 104 and the cooperating rack and pinion teeth, hold the folder 68 against a stop spring 109 which is mounted in a socket on the inner part of end guide frame 59, and the parts are thus held in the position shown in Fig. 9 against the tension of coil spring 94.

It will be understood that the end guide frame 58 (Fig. 8) is constructed and acuated by rock shaft 56 in precisely the same manner as just described.

At the point in the operating cycle of the machine when the folders 68 are to fold the top portions of the carton end walls and lock their tongues 303234 and 31-3335 in the respective cut lines 28 and 29, the two rock shafts 56 and 57 are simultaneously rocked in opposite directions. In reference to end guide frame 59, this results first in the relaxation of the pressure of folder 68 against stop spring 109, which allows coil spring 94 to actuate the end guide member through the 10 movement until stopped by the stop chain 96. As soon as the 10 movement ends the arcuate rack 106 commences to turn pinion 107, and rotates folder 68 from its up position as shown in Fig. 9 to its down position as shown in Fig. 11. Immediately, thereafter the rock shaft 57 is actuated in the reverse direction, and the actuation of the parts takes place in the reverse direction, finishing with folders 68 hearing against stop springs 109 and returning the end guide frames back to their outer positions (Fig. 9).

The next and final operation is the crimping or overbending of the carbon side walls A and B by the crimping devices 65, 63 (rods and plates) one set of each of which is arranged along and below the bottom edges of the two main guide walls 36 and 37. These pairs of crimping devices are mounted on two carriages, an outer carriage 74 and an inner carriage 74 (Fig. 15). Each of these carriages comprises a horizontal bar rectangular in crosssection having its opposite ends 110 turned downwardly at right angles, and each having a roller 111 mounted on a stationary pivot projecting outwardly as shown in Figs. 8 and 15b. The rollers 111 ride between the webs of channel shaped rails 112, fixed in horizontal position on the machine frame. As previously mentioned, the crimping devices 65, 63 are yieldably mounted on carriages 74 (Fig. 13).

The two carriages are simultaneously moved, first toward one another, and then immediately in opposite directions, by means of two pairs of connecting rods 113 and 114 (Fig. 15). Connecting rods 113 are pivotally connected at their left ends (Fig. 15) to the opposite sides (or ends) of outer carriage 74, and the two connecting rods 114 are similarly connected to the opposite sides of inner carriage 74. These connecting rods are actuated by the mechanism shown in Fig. 15b. A rock shaft 115 is mounted in brackets on the machine frame and has two double arms 116, 117 which are fixed to this shaft and spaced apart corresponding to the lateral spacing of connecting rods 113 and 114. Rods 113 are pivoted at their right ends to the lower ends of levers 116 and 117 respectively, and connecting rods 114 are pivoted to the upper ends of these levers.

Shaft 115 is rocked by a connecting rod 118 which is connected at its left end to an actuating arm 119 fixed to rock shaft 115, and whose right end is pivoted to the lower end of a double armed cam follower lever 120 (Figs. 15 and 16). Lever 120 is actuated by means of two cams 121 and 122 which are fixed to rotating shaft 87 (Fig. 16). A cam follower roller 123 projects to the right of lever 120 to engage earn 122, and a second cam follower roller 124 projects to the left of lever 120 to cooperate with cam 121. These are both single lobe cams, but are constructed to operate together so as to cause positive actuation of lever 120 in both directions of operation.

The arrangement of the parts of this actuating mechanism is such as to cause thep lunger 50, feed fingers 44 and guide frames 58 and 59 and the crimping devices 65, 63 to operate in a coordinated sequence such that the carton blanks follow one another down between the folding guide members 36 and 37 in a rapid succession and with very little spacing between successive blanks. In fact, as above mentioned, the succeeding blank catches up with each preceding blank in many instances to force the conipletely set-up preceding carton out of the machine. This results in extremely rapid operation, or rate of production. Moreover, the mechanism causes the setting-up of the carton to take place in such a way that, unless the blanks themselves are defective, there is substantially no shut down because of the blanks becoming jammed in the setting-up mechanism.

It will be understood that changes may be made both in the setting-up mechanism and in the operating mechanism as herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that the scope of the invention be set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A setting-up machine for a paperboard carton blank, the blank being substantially rectangular in shape and being provided with a pair of parallel transverse fold lines each positioned inboard from its respective end of the blank, the setting-up machine comprising a pair of spaced and vertically disposed guide walls, .means for feeding a carton blank horizontally into position adjacent the upper ends of said guide walls, a vertically reciprocating plunger adapted to engage the central position of the blank between said pair of transverse fold lines, substantially vertically disposed end rest and guide members positioned between said guide walls whereby downward movement of the plunger causes the ends of the blank to be folded upwardly by their engagement with said end rest and guide members, said members being substantially vertically disposed and being pivoted adjacent their lower ends for small pivotal movement to swing the tops of said members away from the true vertical in a direction both toward and away from the end portions of the carton, said end portion rest and guide members being provided with reciprocating moving means adapted to move said members pivotally from a position in which their upper ends diverge slightly away from the vertical to a position in which their upper ends converge slightly away from the vertical, and means for moving the plunger downwardly while the end portion rest and guide members are at said diverging position so that said members are contacted by the end portions of the carton blank somewhat beyond their transverse fold lines, thus preventing the shearing off of the end portions.

2, A setting-up machine for a paperboard carton blank, the blank being substantially rectangular in shape and being provided with a first pair of parallel transverse fold lines each positioned inboard from its respective end of the blank and being further provided with a second pair of parallel transverse fold lines each positioned substantially mid-way between their respective ends and proximate fold line of the first mentioned pair of transverse pair of fold lines, the setting-up machine comprising a pair of spaced and vertically disposed guide walls, means for feeding a carton blank horizontally into position adjacent the upper ends of said guide walls, a vertically reciprocating plunger adapted to engage the central portion of the blank between said first pair of transverse fold lines, substantially vertically disposed end-rest and guide members positioned between said guide walls whereby downward movement of the plunger causes the ends of the blank to be folded upwardly by their engagement with said end rest and guide members, said members being substantially vertically disposed and being pivoted adjacent their lower ends for small pivotal movement to swing the tops of said members away from the true vertical in a direction both toward and away from the end portions of the carton, said end portion rest and guide members being provided with reciprocating moving means adapted to move said members pivotally from a position in which their upper ends diverge slightly away from the vertical to a position in which their upper ends converge slightly away from the vertical, and end wall folding means pivoted on the upper portions of each of said end portion rest and guide members, said reciprocating moving means being arranged successively to move said rest and guide members about their pivots and to rotate said folding means about their pivots to fold the upper portions of the carton end walls inwardly about said second pair of transverse fold lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,086 Davis et al. May 12, 1903 834,080 Shearn Oct. 23, 1903 1,000,991 Comings Aug. 22, 1911 2,270,971 Felber Jan. 27, 1942 2,583,713 Shields Jan. 29, 1952 2,614,466 Palmer Oct. 21, 1952 2,727,444 Wethe Dec. 20, 1955 nnrran STATES rlrrmr OFFICE fiERTllFlQAlE UP CORRECTION Patent Nod 2,852,988 September 23, 1958 Paul Fo Bowman It is herebjr certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 15, for "designed" read designated column 3, line 61, for or blank." read me of blank column 6, line 65, for "having" read we have column 9, line 2, for "carbon" read me carton =3 line 47, for "thep lunger" read m the plunger column 10, line 4, for "position" read me portion line 67, list of references cited.,, for "1903" read 1906 line 69, for the patent number '2 ,27(),9'7"l" read w 2370,8'71 u Signed and sealed this 9th day of December 1958a "SEAL lttest? KARL Ali-LINE ROBERT (J. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

